Daily 20-minute walk in the outdoors among nature cuts stress

Regular walk could cut levels of stress hormones, cortisol, by about 10 percent

Research project led by Dr MaryCarol Hunter, of the University of Michigan

She said: "Getting out of an office block and sitting next to a tree can be enough"

By Mary O'connor For The Daily Mail

Published: 19:1

5 EDT, 3 April 2019 | Updated: 20:58 EDT, 3 April 2019

A daily 20-minute stroll in the great outdoors has been dramatically reduced to stress levels and boost wellbeing.

Scientists claim to have discovered that spending 20-30 minutes between nature could cut levels of stress hormones, cortisol, by about 10 percent

The new study found that after 30 minutes the wellbeing benefits of being outside continued to increase, but at a sharply reduced rate, The Times reported.

Scientists claim that they have discovered that spending between 20-30 minutes in nature could reduce levels of stress hormones, cortisol, by about 10 percent. File pic

Dr Mary Carol Hunter, of the University of Michigan, and who led the re-search said: "Our study shows that for the best payoff, in terms of ef-ficiently lowering levels of stress hormones, cortisol, you should spend 20 to 30 minutes sitting or walking in a place that provides you with a sense of nature.

"You do not have to travel to wildlands. Getting out of an office block and sitting next to a tree can be enough.

Dr. Hunter believes that the study published in the journal Frontiers in Psy-chology should lead to the prescription of 'nature-pills' – advice by doc-tors that patients suffering with anxiety should spend time in a green space.

Spending time connected to nature has been previously suggested as a low-cost way of combating health issues including high blood pressure and mental health problems.

Social prescribing – non-medical treatments that yield health benefits – are a central part of the NHS long term plan launched by Theresa May and NHS England chief executive Simon Stevens in January.

More than 2.5 million people are expected to benefit from social pre-scribing over the next five years, according to the plan, which pledges to employ a army of Health Secretary Matt Hancock has said he wants to 'balance the shift' from drugs to social activities to improve the health of the country.

He said yesterday that dementia patients should Without being offered music and dance therapies to manage their condition.h

Dr Mary Carol Hunter, of the University of Michigan, said a walk near the office was good enough. File pic